Cable-clamp.



PATENTED NOV. 5, 1907.

A. H. MEECH.

CABLE CLAMP. APPLIoATroN FILED ooT. 1, 190e.

MilugI 514 uc u UNrTED sTATEs ALFRED AH. MEEGH, OF CHATHAM, NEW YORK.

CABLE-CLAMP.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALFRED H. MEECH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chatham, in the county of Columbia and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cable-Clamps, ofwhich the following is al full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to wire or fibrous rope and cable clamps, theprincipal object being to provide a simple two-part clamp capable ofjoining a pair of cable ends together with great security.

The clamp is designed to be applicable to any size of rope or -cable bybeing manufactured in varying sizes, each of which is capable ofaccommodating different diameters of ropes or :cables within certainlimits, that is to say not larger or smaller than certain limiting sizesor diameters. The clamp is used for splicing together the ends ofseparate ropes or cables, `or making a loop or thimble end as desired.v

In my companion application, Serial No. 305,767, I have described andclaimed in its broad aspects a cable clamp having the general featuresof the present case. The present application relates to minor featuresof improvement` particularly the provision of additional abutmentsbetween the bolts which are used for holdi'ng the members of the clamp.together, and in having the bolts permanently secured to one of themembers, so as to save trouble and time when the clamp is assembled upona cable.

In the drawings: Figure l is aside View showing a clamp embodying theprinciples of myl invention in place upon a cable; Fig. 2 is a sectionalview of the same on the line Il-II of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a sectional viewon the line III-III of Fig. l; Fig. 4 is a view looking up into theupper member of the clamp and showing a pair of cables placed therein.Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view illustrating the shape of the openingthrough which the clamping bolt or bolts pass.

defiect or bend'the cables between such planes.

The essentialprinciple of which I make use and which is fully describedin my companion case above referred to, depends upon having the clampingmembers forced into clamping relation so as to engage the cablesby-inclined or wedge faces, which are provided on projecting legs of themembers for this purpose. The

legs of each member fit between one another, each,

insure a very high degree of clamping efficiency there- Specification ofLetters Patent. Application liled October l. 1906. Serial No, 336,867.

Patented Nov. 5, 1907.

on. The above result is furthermore accomplished` merely by forcing thetwo members of the clamp upon the cable elements, which are merely laidbetween the members for this purpose.

Referring to the drawing in which like parts are designated by the samereference sign, l and 2 ndicate the two members of a two-part cableclamp, which respectively have lateral 'legs 3 and 4. The members arepositioned to be guided in clamping relation, so that the legs 3 lie intransverse planes which are intermediate the transverseiplanes occupiedby the legs 4 of the other member. In other words, the legs 3 and 4 liein alternate spaced transverseplanes along the lengt-h of the cables tobe clamped. The inside faces of both the legs 3 and 4 are inclined sothat such faces lie in divergent planes. The inside faces of the legs 4are designated at 5 (see Figs. 3 and 4), and it will be observed thatthese faces lie in divergent planes flaring upwardly. The inside facesof the legs 3 are correspondingly inclined to one another and lie indivergent' planes flaring downwardly. The outside of these legs may beribbed if desired to impart greater `strength. The features thus fardescribed are substantially similar to those of my above mentionedapplication, and form no part of the present invention.

Instead of ordinary bolts passed through alined round holes in the twomembers, I make use of special bolts 7, having a square or irregularlyshapedshank 8 near the head end to coperate with correspondingly shapedholes in the lower member I and keep the `bolts from turning when thenuts aretightened. The form of the head is also changed, being maderound with a thin outside edge 9. l0 denotes the usual nuts by which themembers are clamped together.

The thin edges 9 of the heads of the nuts have a special purpose andeoperate with certain lugs on the lower .clamping member to hold thebolts permanently therein. Referring particularly to Fig. 1 it will beseen that the back of, the member l has projecting lugs 1l adjacent tothe heads of the bolts, and these lugs may be hammered down and bentover, as at ll, so as to engage the edge 9 of the bolt heads, andpermanently secure the bolts in place.

The bolts 7 constitute abutments against which the cables bear whenpressed inward by the wedging action of the inclined faces 5 and 6. Ialso provide j additional abutments l2 formed byrnaking ridges orprocable elements 13, 13, which may be different parts of the same cableor the ends of separate cables, are laid within 'the lower member linside the faces 5. The upper clamping member 2 is then placed over thebolts in which relation the pairs ot legs 4 will all in transverseplanes'between the transverse planes of the legs 3 of the other member.When'the two members are tightened together by screwing up the nuts 10,the cable elements 13, 13, will be borne inward against the bolts 7 andalso against the abutments 12. In practice the cable elements aredeflected about the bolts 7, about as shown in Fig. 4 until they finallyabut solidly against the intervening projections 12, whereupon they willbe solidly clamped at planes corresponding to the bolts, and between thebolts.

What l claim, is:-

1. In a cable clamp, a pair of members each having legs with insideinclined faces one of said members havingsquare holes of 'uniformtransverse section, bolts having square shanks contained in said holes,said bolts having heads with rounded upper faces, dat under faces andthin peripheral edges, and means on the member engaging said edges forholding the bolts thereto said bolts being adapted lo be positionedbetween the cables to be clamped to engage said cables whereby theyconstitute abutments for the cables when the members are drawn together.

2. ln a-cable clamp, a pair of members each having legs with insideinclined faces, bolts for drawing said members together, and ridges orprojections on one of the members acting in conjunction with said boltsto form abutments for the cable to he clamped.

3. In a cable clamp, a member having legs with inside divergent faces, asecond member also having legs and abutments integral with said memberand coperating with said faces to clamp a cable, and means for drawingsaid members toward one another.

In witness whereof, I subscribe my signature, in the presence of twoWitnesses.

` ALFRED H. MEECH.

Witnesses:

FRANK S. OBER, Wahoo M. CHAPIN.

